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June 5, 2009NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
June 5, 2009
- Phil Long/Plain Dealer
As if watching the 2009 Indians wasn’t sad enough, this morning we learned that former majority owner of the team Richard E. “Dick” Jacobs has passed away at the age of 84 after battling a long illness.
Jacobs will be remembered as the owner that finally helped to usher in a winning era for the Indians, taking over ownership in 1986 and helping to put the organization in place that finally brought the Indians to contention in the mid-90’s. His name will also by synonymous in the minds of Tribe purists (such as myself) as the true name of the Tribe’s home park—a park that I will always call “The Jake” and “The Jake” only.
Jacobs made his bones in the world of commercial real estate development. He founded The Richard E. Jacobs Group with his late brother David in 1955. They specialize in hotel, office, and shopping center development. Some of Jacobs’ biggest properties include the Westgate Mall and Key Tower, the city’s (and state’s) tallest building.
Jacobs paid $45 million for the club in 1986, and sold the Indians to Larry Dolan in 2000 for $320 million… by all accounts, and incredible return on his investment. By most accounts, Jacobs could see the direction in which the economics of baseball were heading, and “sold high” (I don’t know… Scott’s the economist on staff here) while the Tribe was at the tail end of their dominance of the Central Division. A smart move, but for many fans it has long been the mark on the timeline when the Tribe’s window of competition in today’s baseball landscape really closed.
From the PD article:
Jacobs promised to run the club with sound business fundamentals. He wanted to “stay out of the way” and hire baseball experts to direct the team. He never told them what to do, only that they keep him informed, operate within the budget and be successful.
By all accounts, he and the club were successful, all right. Godspeed, Mr. Jacobs.
13 Comments
Definetley a sad start to a Friday morning. Great owner who cared abouth the product, and the fan base. I’m with you DP, it will always be The Jake to me. God rest your soul, Mr. Jacobs.
I know Progressive paid a boatload of cash to put their name on the ballpark, but the current Tribe regime should find some way to put the Jacobs name back on that ballpark for all he did to help this franchise.
You’re right DP, it will always be The Jake.
Rest in Peace Mr Jacobs, and thanks for all you did.
I too will always call it “The Jake,” but remember that Jacobs actually paid for the naming rights himself, the park was not named Jacobs Field as a tribute to him. That said, when the renamed it Progressive Field I thought it was stupid – I thought they should have named it Progressive Park, which sounds better anyway. It would have been easy then to someday call it Jacobs Field at Progressive Park. (sort of like Oriole Park at Camden Yards) I personally would favor them doing that anyway, but I don’t know if their contract with Progressive would allow it.
In any event, thanks are due to Dick Jacobs who made the Tribe relevant again.
I know I comment alot on the Cavs news here, but I was raised an Indians kid by my dad in the 80s and 90s. My best cleveland sports memories as a kid were all under Mr. Jacob’s watch. Thank you Dick Jacob. Rest in peace.
The template of a good owner. Was a bottom line guy who hired the right people, threw money where they told him, demanded accountability in private if it didn’t work, and spoke to the media at length, once a year. He knew what he knew, but also knew what he didn’t know, if that makes sense.
By the way, remember that he ordered that the announcers not call it “The Jake” (but rather “Jacobs Field”) a few years after it opened, because “jake”is apparently a Navy term for bathroom. He hated that as a nickname, so if you’re really interested in honoring the guy …
One of the best sports franchise owners Cleveland has had (which considering some of the others, isn’t saying much). He should get a lot of credit for saving MLB in Cleveland. I’ll always call it the Jake or Jacobs Field.
I hope the Tribe honors him in some way this year.
We were so lucky to have him. RIP.
I also grew up an Indians fan. Nothing will top the run they had in the 90s. I want to thank Mr. Jacobs for putting a good product on the field for all those years.
Chief Wahoo is racist.
thank you Mr. Jacobs for saving the Indians for Cleveland. My children will someday (hopefully) grow to love the Indians as I do today, and that is a testament to all you have done. oh, and if Chief Wahoo is racist, then I guess I am as well. CHIEF WAHOO FOREVER!!!!!
RIP Mr. Jacobs. Thanks for showing us what a real team looks like.
And cursedcleveland – why here? Really? You couldn’t have saved that for any other Indians-related post??
RIP Mr Jacobs. I know all of Cleveland shall miss you. Without a doubt your years as owner were the greatest most of us fans have ever enjoyed, and I fear we may not enjoy the likes of again for quite some time. My only regret is that your name no longer adorns our beloved stadium as it ought to. Farewell.